Air-separator



Patented Aug. 23, I898. G. S. EMEBICK.

AIR SEPABATOR.

(Applicgtion filed Apr. 16, 1897.)

2 SheetsShaet I.

(No Modal.)

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Patented Aug. 23, I898.

a. s EMERICK, AIR SEPABATOB.

(Application filed. Apr. 16, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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GEORGE S. EMERICK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AlR-SEPARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,537, dated August 23, 1898.

Application filed April 16, 1897. Serial No. 632,434. (No model.)

To all whom it may cozzccrit:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. EMERICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 703 Lippincott Building, Twelfth and Filbert streets, in the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented a new and useful im provement in Air-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in air-separator machines, the purpose of which is to separate foundry-facings or relatively fine material of any description into further grades of fineness by means of centrifugal force in combination with an air-blast produced by a revolving fan or fans.

To accomplish this object, my invention involves the features of construction and combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the upper portion of the machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on a smaller scale, of the entire machine, exclusive of the hopper, feed-pipe, hollow shaft, and pulley, with their supportingframework, which are shown in detail in Fig.

1. Fig. 3 is front view of the manholes indicated at A O B, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the above manholes.

In Fig. 1, K K V V is the upper portion of a large outer cylinder. This cylinder is shown in complete vertical section in Fig. 2, KK V V. It has aflat horizontal top K K, Fig. 1, and terminates in a conical funnel at the bottom, as shown at A, Fig. 2. \Vithin the outer cylinder and placed concentrically therewith is an inner cylinder X X, Fig. 1. This inner cylinder is of about one-half the diameter of the outer cylinder and is shown in complete vertical section at Fig. 2, X X. Upon the horizontal top of the outer cylinder K K V V, Fig. 1, stands an iron frame H H, which supports the tubular shaft F. This iron frame is bolted to the top K K of the outer cylinder, as shown in Fig. l. The tubular shaft F descends vertically through the bearings G I and through the horizontal top K K of the outer cylinder into the upper interior of the inner cylinder X X. To the bottom of the tubular shaft F is attached a circular discharge-plate formed in two parts Q and Q. The discharge-plate is adjustably attached to the tubular shaft by the set-screws R R, passing through the hub of the upper part Q of the discharge-plate. The outer edge or lip of the part Q of the discharge-plate is curved or dished, as shown at Fig. 1, in such manner as to impart an upward as well as outward direction to the centrifugally-expelled material. Between the outer edges of the two parts of the discharge-plate is an annular opening. To the top of the tubular shaft F is adjustably attached by the set-screws D D a horizontal wheel or driving-pulley G, which is driven by any suitable power. To the tubular shaft F, immediately below the horizontal top K K of the outer cylinder, is attached a hub M, set-screwed to the tubular shaft at N N. Into this hub the arms Y Y of the fan-blades P P are screwed and fastened with jam-nuts, as shown at 0, Fig. 1. Of the arms and fan-blades there may be any number from two upward.

Down through the tubular shaftF runs a non-rotating feed-pipe E, which connects at the top of the frame 11 H B B with the hopper A. The lower end of this feed-pipe terminates immediately above the bottom Q of the discharge-plate Q Q,previous1y described. Power being applied to the horizontal wheel or driving-pulley C, the tubular shaftF is made to revolve, rotating the fans P P and the discharge-plate Q Q. The material to be separated is fed or emptied into the hopper A and, passing down the feed-pipe E, falls upon the bottom Q of the discharge-plate Q Q. The rotation of the discharge-plate forces the material by centrifugalaction out through the annular opening between the upper and lower parts Q and Q of the dischargeplate and toward the revolving fans P P. The air-current created by the revolution of these fans draws the finer material up and drives it out into the space between the outer cylinder K K V V and the inner cylinder X X. The direction taken by the finer material is indicated in Fig. 2 by the arrows without tails. The finer material, after passing between the'fan-blades andover the top of the inner cylinder X X, Fig. 1, falls to the bottom of the large cylinder and passes out through the funnel-like opening V, Fig. 2. The coarser material issuing from the discharge-plate is not drawn up by the fans, but falls down within the inner cylinderX X, and, taking the course indicated by the arrows without tails in Fig. 2, passes out through the funnel-like opening Z, Fig. 2.

In the sides of the outer and inner cylinders are manholes A O B, Fig. 2, covered with any meshed material, such as bagging, cloth, fine Wire-gauze, or netting. The manholes in the outer cylinder contribute to relieve the air-pressure in the space between the inner and outer cylinders, while at the same time preventing the escape of the separated material. The manholes in the inner cylinder allow the supply of air for the fans to be drawn from the outer cylinder, the outer cylinder being so much larger than the inner that the settlement of the separated material is not affected by the air-currents through the manholes of the inner cylinder. These manholes also admit of entrance into the interior of the machine for purposes of adjustment or re pair. The circulation of the air within the cylinders is shown by the continuous dotted arrow in Fig. 2. The manholes for the outer and inner cylinders are shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 3 is a front view, in which A is a metal ring or rim secured against the edges of the circular opening in the cylinder by any device that admits of its ready removal and replacement, and C is the meshed covering attached to said ring. In Fig. 4 a manhole is shown in horizontal section, V V being the sides of the cylinders adjoining the circular openings covered by the manholes.

The form of discharge-plate shown in Fig. 1 throws the material outward and upward at the same time. Material can thus be sepa rated or sifted with the least possible current or blast of air. I

The degree of fineness of the material separated by the fans from the total quantity passing out from the discharge-plate can be regulated in two ways:

First. By raising or lowering the feed-pipe, hollow shaft, and discharge-plate attached to the latter. The farther the opening in the discharge-plate is removed from the fans the finer will be that portion of the material which the fans will be able to draw, and contrawise. The hub carrying the fan-blades being adjustably attached by set-screws or otherwise to the hollow shaft, as above described, permits the hollow shaft to be raised or lowered by loosening and retightening the set screws. The same adj ustmentcan be made to the horizontal wheel or driving-pulley C, Fig. 1. The cross-piece B B, Fig. 1,

which su pports the upper end of the feed-pipe E at its junction with the hopper, can also be adjusted at any desired height by means of pins passing through holes in the ends of the cross-piece and through corresponding holes in the uprights of the frame, as shown inFig. 1.

Second. The cylinder X X, Fig. 1, is supported in place within the outer cylinder K K V V by the rods U U, the lower ends of which are bolted to the-cylinder X X. These rods pass up through the horizontal top K K of the large cylinder. The cylinder X X, being unsupported at its lower end, can be raised or lowered by means of the jam-nuts L L, Fig. 1, on the upper ends of the rods. The opening in the bottom of the outer cylinder, Fig. 2, through which passes the independent funnel aperture of the inner cylinder, Fig. 2, can be adjusted to the raising or lowering of the cylinder by clamped sliding pieces, as shown at S, Fig. 2.

The raising or lowering of the cylinder X X, Fig. 2, either of itself or combined with the raising or lowering of the discharge-plate, affords a smaller or larger space, as the case may be, within which the fans P P, Fig. 2, may operate. This in turn regulates the force of the air-blast, and thus affects or controls the degree of fineness of the material drawn out or separated by the fans. The supply of air for the fans is also drawn into the interior of the inner cylinder X X, Fig. 2, through the funnel opening Z, following the course indicated by the dotted arrow, Fig. 2. This does not in any wise interfere with the descent of the coarser material through the funnel opening, Fig. 2, as above described.

This machine is capable of being used to winnow grain, separate cement, relatively fine coal, or crushed products of many kinds not specially mentioned, and I do not therefore confine myself to the use of the invention in connection with the separation of any particular substance or material.

I am aware that prior to my invention machines have been devised for the separation of materials of various kinds by centrifugal force in combination with an air-blast produced by revolving fans. I therefore do not claim such a combination broadly.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination, the outer casing K K V V having the funnel opening IV, the inner casing X X adj ustably suspended within said outer casing by means of the rods U U and having the funnel opening Z, the tubular shaft F supported by the frame II II and rotated by the adjustable driving-pulley O, the discharge-plate Q, Q adjustably attached to said tubular shaft, the hub M adjustably attached to said tubular shaft above said discharge-plate, the arms Y Y adjustably attached to said 11 ub and carrying the fan-blades P P, the nonrotating feed pipe E with its hopper A, and the adjustable cross-piece B 13, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination, the tubular shaft F, the hub M adjustably attached to said tubular shaft, the arms Y Y adjustably attached to such as the rods U U and having" the outlet said hub and carrying the fan-blades P I, the Z, and means for rotating said tubular shaft, diseharge-p1ate Q, Q adj ustably attached to substantially as described.

said tubular shaft, the non-rotating feed-pipe GEORGE S. EMERICK. 5 E, the outer casing K K V V having the out- Vitnesses:

let WV, the inner casing X X adj ustably sus- ALFRED DUERR,

pended Within said outer casing by means 0. VICTOR EMERIOK. 

